Electric can opener



May l, 1948. J. JAGER ELECTRIC CAN OPENER Fued 001. 18, 1946' 2sheets-sheet 1 :p12-itil: I

fol-uv .a Geli May 11, 1948. J. JAGER 2,441,322

ELECTRIC`CAN OPENER Filed Oct. 18, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. Z

Jol-IN Jams/ WWWMWM Patented May 1i, 194e UNITED STATES PATENT OFFWEAELEGTRIC CAN-OPENER Jolm Jager, Chicago,

Applicatloribctober 18, 1946, Serlal No. 704,051

Claims. (Cl. 30-4) This invention relates to can openers, and moreparticularly to a can opener which may be operated by electricity. v

It is an object of the present invention top/ro-v device.

It is another object of the invention to simplify the operation ofopening a, can, place less strain on the housewife while opening thecan, and avoid cutting of hands when holding the can in place for beingopened.

According to the invention, the can is placed upon a revolvable tablewhich isvertically adjustable. The operator will press down upon a leverto elevate the revolvable table and bring the can top into engagementwith a cutter and rotating element adapted to grip the rim of the can torotate the same while it is being cut. At the same time that thecan isbrought upward-ly, a switch is automatically operated by the top of thecan and a motor is set in operation to drive the rim-rotating element tocause the top of the can to be cut. The motor and the cutting andrim-rotating tool are carried on a vertically adjustable frame. Thisframe can be adjusted for different size cans by a hand device locatedupon the side of the main support.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the entiremechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the mechanismfrom a different direction, and asv viewed generally along the line 2-2of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively transverse cross-sectional views takenalong the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and looking respectively in the oppositedirection indicated by the arrows, the view of Figure 3 being anenlarged fragment. Y

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the lineli-B of Figure 2 showing the relation of the cutter and rim-engagingtools with the can.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the cutter andrim-engaging tool in operative relation with the can of Figure 2.

Referring now to the gures, I0 represents a base having an upstandinghousing Il including a horizontal portion I2 through which is extended ashaft I3 carrying a revolvable supporting plate It for a. can I5. Theshaft I3 is vertlcally guided in a frame I6 for vertical adjustment by agear-adjusting mechanism I1. The gear mechanism I1 includes a large gearI3 to which is connected an operating lever I9 extending exteriorly ofthe mechanism. As downward pressure is applied to the lever I9, the gearI2 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l,and this gear kwil-1 in turn drive in a clockwise direction a small gear2l having a cam 22 secured thereto and adapted to abut the bottom of theshaft I2. The frame I6 is in turn connected to the base I@ forhorizontal adjustment whereby to adapt the mechanism for cans ofdifferent diameters. To provide for this horizontal adjustment, there isprovided a guideway 23 on the base II) into which projections 24 extendso as to be guided by the part 23. vAfter the can has been opened, thelever I9 is released and the can and supporting plate It will bepermitted to be lowered to its original position. Extending upwardlyfrom the horizontal portion I2 of the housing iI is a vertical portion25 adapted to house and guide a vertically adjustable housing 26whichcarries an electric motor 21, rimengaging tools 28 and 29, a cutterelement 3i andan automatic switch 32. The rim-rotating tool 29 is drivenby reduction gearing 33 from the motor 2 1. This reduction gearing isretained in a bracket portion 34 of the vertical housing 26 and one ofits shafts 35 is retained against'lateral displacement by a dependinglug 36 extending downwardly from the top of the portion 26.

The rim-rotating tools 28 and 29 have spiral groove formations on theirsurfaces and are so arranged as to receive and retain the rim of the topportion ofthe can in such manner as-to effect its rotation as they areoperated Vby the periphery of the top of the can. Simultaneously-..

with the lifting of the can I 5, the automatic switch mechanism 32 hasits plunger 31 en gaged by the top of the can to close the switchcontact 38, whereby to close a circuit directed to the motor and toautomatically start its operation. No further effort is required by theopera tor than that of lowering the operating lever Iii base Il.

lgintoplace. Thebackoftbe can II is guided by a grooved portion 4i onthe housing Il. rotating plate Il until it engages the grooved portionIl. A .In order to adjust the mechanism for dinerent heights of cans,there is provided within the base housing il, and particularly withinthe vertical portion Ilthereof, an elevating device Il adapted to beoperated by a hand wheel M extending exteriorly of the portion 25 and atthe side of the mechanism that the operating lever Il is extended. Thismechanism I3 further includes bevel gears Il and 4l and a verticallyextending threaded shaft Il 'adapted to work in an internally threadedtransverse portion Il integral with the interior of the verticallyadjustable part 26. The gear 46 is xed to the vertical shaft 41 and thegear 45 is ilxed to a shaft il carrying the hand wheel 44. The threadedshaft Il is supported at its bottom Il against lateral displacement by aretaining portion li of the In vorder to retain the vertical portion 2lagainst rotational displacement within the portion 2l, there is provideda radially inwardly extending lug 54 on the portion 28 which extendsinto an elongated guide slot 55 on the portion 26. A

While various, changes may be made inthe details of construction, itshall be understood that such changes shall be within the 'spirit' andscope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electric can opener comprising a base having a verticallyextending housing, a vertically vadjustable part extending into the basehousing to be guided thereby and adapted to be adjusted verticallyupwardly therefrom,'said housing part having an electric motor, gearreduction mechanism, rim-rotating tools connected with the motor throughthe gearing, a cutting tool on the adjustable portion adjacent to therim-rotating tools, and an elevating platform on which a can mayberested and elevated into place between the rim-rotating tools and toinitially puncture the top of the can, and means for starting theoperation of the electric motor.

2. An electric can opener comprising a base having a verticallyextending housing, a vertically adjustable part extending into the basehousing to be' guided thereby and adapted to be adjusted verticallyupwardly `therefrom, said housing part having an electric motor, gearreduction mechanism. rim-rotating tools connected with the motor throughthe gearing, a

The can ii is placed upon the ff' A y anneau l .cally adjustable partextending into the base housing to be guided thereby and adapted to be`adjusted vertically upwardly therefrom. said housing part having anelectric motor. gear reduction mechanism, rim-rotating tools connectedwith the motor through the gearing, a cutting tool on the adjustable.portion adjacent the rim-rotating tools, an elevating platform on whicha can may be rested and elevated into place between the rim-rotatingtools and to initially puncture the top of the can, means for startingthe operation of the electric motor, said vertically adjustable portioncontaining the motor and the cutting tool having an elevating deviceconnected betweengit and the base, said elevating device having amanually operable hand wheel extending exteriorly of the base housingfor vertical adjustment whereby the l ,vertical portion can be adjustedto operate upon itially puncture the top of the can, means for startingthe operation of the electric motor, and means for elevating thecan-supporting platform comprising an axially adjustable shaft, a camadapted to engage the bottom of the shaft to elevate the same, gearingconnected with the cam, andan operating lever extending exteriorly ofthebase housing fox` effecting rotating of the gearing and the camwhereby to elevate the cansupporting platform.

5. An electric can opener comprising a base having a verticallyextending housing, a verticutting tool on the adjustable portionadjacent the rim-rotating tools, an elevating Dltfcrm on which a can maybe rested and elevated into place between the rim-rotating tools and toinitially puncture the top of the can, means for starting the operationof the electric motor, said Aineans for starting the operation of themotor l including a switch adapted to be operated by cally adjustablepart lextending into the base housing to be guided thereby and adaptedto be adjusted vertically upwardly therefrom, said housing part havingan electric motor, gear re-v duction mechanism, rim-rotating toolsconnected with the motor through the gearing, a cutting tool on theadjustable portion adjacent the rim-rotating tools, an elevating portionon which a can may be rested and elevated into place between therim-rotating tools and to initially puncture the top of the can, meansfor starting the operation of the electric motor, means for effectingthe elevation of the can-supporting platform including a lever extendingexteriorly of the Ibase housing, and meansv for securing thecan-supporting platform and the elevating means upon the base forhorizontal slidable adjustment whereby to alter the position of thecan-supporting platform to adapt the same for use with cans of diiferentdiameters. JOHN JAGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nie ofthis patent:

